“I’m never alone” – Darren Moore on football, Sheffield Wednesday fans and his guilty pleasure

Darren Moore sometimes celebrates victory with a cheeky bag of jelly snakes or a late-night bowl of Rice Krispies.

That must have been one hell of a midnight feast when the Sheffield Wednesday manager orchestrated the greatest comeback in play-offs history and they overturned a four-goal deficit against Peterborough to reach Wembley.

Moore is one of football’s good guys, a shameless apostle of positivity – even when the cause seems lost – and he is banking on 44,000 Owls fans to “drive” Wednesday over the line in Monday’s League One promotion shoot-out with Barnsley.

“Jelly snakes are my guilty pleasure,” he grinned. “I like Rice Krispies because they are light enough for a late-night snack, even if they are a bit moreish.”

In the pantheon of great comebacks, when all hope appeared lost after the first leg, Wednesday’s defiance of logic against Posh will take some beating.

Liverpool’s recovery from 3-0 down in a Champions League semi-final against Barcelona to win the second leg 4-0 at Anfield was mind-blowing, if not their first overthrow of mountainous odds.

After all, they had been there before in the final against AC Milan 18 years ago – and managed to fulfil the open-top bus reservation.

In 2017, Barcelona’s 6-1 demolition of Paris Saint-Germain, after losing the first leg 4-0 in France, in the Champons League last 16 was a perfect storm of inspired finishing, teo penalties, contentious refereeing and PSG showing the backbone of jellyfish.

And Watford’s 4-0 hammering at The Dell against Southampton in a League Cup second round tie in 1980 didn’t prevent them from administering a 7-1 rout after extra time in the return at a disbelieving Vicarage Road.

The Hornets handed out souvenir biros to fans at the turnstiles the following week – and hundreds of them landed on Saints manager Lawrie McMenemy’s desk in the post as tokens of gratitude for him resting Kevin Keegan for the unexpected blitz.

But Wednesday’s onslaught was simply mesmerising in its audacity, even if referee David Webb’s allocation of eight minutes added time – just enough for Liam Palmer to level the tie on aggregate – was at odds with the six appended.

Fans may have ripped up their tickets for the home leg live on social media. Bet they feel stupid now. And others may have resorted to witless, disgusting, racist abuse of Moore online. Hopefully they will get a knock on the door soon.

But somehow, his positivity never evaporated. He kept believing mission impossible was attainable – because when they are a united force, Wednesday are formidable.

“One supporter may say one thing and one may see it differently – I’m just the middle man who brings them together,” said the Owls boss. “Although I might be standing there alone in the technical area, I know I’m never alone because football is like that.

“It can take your emotions certain ways and then bring them back in a split second. As a manager I try to be as honest, consistent and inclusive.

“But no matter where this club is, whatever division we may be in, Sheffield Wednesday supporters will back their club through thick and thin.

“That’s why I can’t wait to see the wall of blue at one end of Wembley on Monday. I was invited to the 2016 play-off final as a guest of the EFL, and the one time I took my eyes off the game, I looked over to see all the Wednesdayites bouncing – I swear I could feel the whole stadium moving.

“Throughout this season, we have felt a real surge of energy from our fans and the boys have been driven by it. It’s been the key ingredient.”

For Wednesday’s 60th game of an exhausting campaign, midfielder George Byers – out since March – has made a dramatic late bid to be involved.

And striker Lee Gregory’s protective face mask, which went missing in the chaos after the Posh drama, was handed over by a souvenir-hunter after the club appealed for its safe return.

“Without it, ‘Gregs’ may not have been able to train for a few days because we would have needed to get another one made,” said Moore. “Although it would have made a nice souvenir for someone, that wouldn’t have been ideal, so we are grateful to the fan who handed it in.”

Wednesday lost twice against Barnsley in the regular League One season, including a 4-2 defeat at Oakwell which ended their 23-game unbeaten run.

Moore insists that will have no bearing on events at Wembley. Or, for those who enjoy a bag of jelly snakes, it’s a load of cobras.